Network infrastructures, including servers, switches and routers, are growing more and more important as the backbones of modern information technology systems. Particularly, with the rise of cloud computation, demands for high-energy and high-throughput network devices continue to grow.
Space constraints for high-energy and high-throughput devices result in smaller devices and greater installation density. One consequence of small, dense, and high-power devices is increased heat production and retention. Hence, heat management of these devices becomes important.
For example, various types of pluggable modules (also called “transceivers”) are highly active and heat generating components in network devices. Pluggable modules connect printed circuit board (PCB), of a switch, router or similar device, to an external device (e.g. fiber optic cable). A connector cage mounting on a PCB is often used to connect a pluggable module to the PCB, both electrically and mechanically. Heat management for pluggable modules is important for the network operations because pluggable modules require a certain range of temperature to function normally. For example, when the core temperature of a pluggable module reaches a certain level, the module may lower or even lose function.
Furthermore, heat management is critical for optical pluggable modules because the laser component of the optical module requires low case temperature, e.g. under 70° C., to remain its normal functions. Examples of optical pluggable modules include QSFP, SFP+, SFF, XFP, CXP, CFP, CFP2 and CFP4, etc.
Present heat dissipation technologies have limited applications in the high-throughput network devices due to space constrain and manufacture costs. Examples of the present heat dissipation technologies include integrated or riding heat sinks, and baffles, etc.
Thus, there is a need to improve heat management of high volume network devices, particularly the pluggable modules, via a cost-effective, efficient and compact approach.